The Sunday Independent this week ran an article on a new report by a group of scientists claiming that the positioning of cell phone masts in residential areas is linked to incidence of cancer. The article overplayed the evidence.

While evidence that women drink too much while pregnant is widespread, no research backs Sky News’ claim that South African mothers drink heavily deliberately to damage their unborn babies and claim disability benefits.

Since strict gun controls came into force in 2004, gun crime in South Africa has fallen by more than 21 percent. Did the new controls cause the drop in gun crime as police claimed last week? Their data is inconclusive but cause of death figures from studies of mortuary statistics back their claim.

Eskom CEO Brian Dames’ claim that annual rises of 16 percent in electricity tariffs will “not harm” the poor is wrong. The assistance proposed for the poorest will not shield them. Proportional to income, they will be hard hit.

Helen Zille is right to dispute claims by ANC leaders and others that opposition-run Cape Town is ‘more unequal’ than other South African cities. It is one of the most unequal cities in the world but other SA cities are more unequal still, UN figures show.

The department of health says that 96% of South African children receive all necessary vaccinations. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says only 64% do. In fact, the data is flawed, undermining both their claims.

South African President Jacob Zuma claimed last week that the gap between rich and poor has been narrowing. The opposition DA claimed that it is growing steadily. A careful look at the statistics shows both are wrong,

The claim by the SA minerals ministry last week that exploration due to take place in the Karoo Basin will not involve hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking” is misleading, and is contradicted in the ministry’s own report.

Donate to Africa Check

We hold public figures accountable

For democracy to function, public figures need to be held to account for what they say. The claims they make need to be checked, openly and impartially. Africa Check is an independent, non-partisan organisation which assesses claims made in the public arena using journalistic skills and evidence drawn from the latest online tools, readers, public sources and experts, sorting fact from fiction and publishing the results.